


Heartbeat Hotline

by wholewheatpopcorn



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Vampire AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25890625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholewheatpopcorn/pseuds/wholewheatpopcorn
Summary: That awkward moment when the guy you were hitting on turns out to be your doctor.
Relationships: Remy | Reverse Muse / Dov | Reverse Virus
Kudos: 2





	1. The Club

**Author's Note:**

> Vampire AU: Modern society but the supernatural is mixed into it. Vampires, werewolves, selkies and the like all live normal lives side by side with humans. 
> 
> Remy is a human. Dov is a vampire.

Dov may have been a bit tipsy. Or maybe even drunk. One or the other. Whichever it was, Dov was feeling great. It was a Friday night and he finished work in a rather good mood. Business was booming, he just launched his new clothing line, and he had absolutely no obligations to attend to during the weekend. 

Waii had invited him to hang out at the club and it was where Dov currently found himself. Hanging out at the club. Downing fruity cocktails and having an overall great time with his pal. Or, he was? But he wasn’t sure where Waii disappeared off to. Or when she even left, actually. It was a bit perplexing but Dov wasn’t worried. She’d turn up again eventually, the club wasn’t even that big. He carefully made his way around the dance floor towards the bar, having decided he’d had enough dancing for the time being. At the moment. All he wanted was the taste of another cosmopolitan down his throat as he basked in the pleasant feeling of being drunk and business success. 

Though, that still didn’t change the fact that he was one friend down and that meant he had no one to chat with. Hm. He cast his gaze around the club, eyeing the people who also flocked to the bar. Maybe he could strike a conversation with a friendly looking patron! Clubs were a great place to socialize after all! Now, the only thing he needed to decide was who to chat with! 

He didn’t have to ponder for long when someone literally came crashing into his arms. He steadied the mystery man, placing a hand around his forearms as the man gathered his bearings. “Are you alright?” He could hear himself saying as the man pulled away and fixed his clothes. 

The man looked up, almost surprised, and let a pleasant smile ease onto his lips. “Quite alright, thank you.” The man looked him over before his expression changed. 

“I spilled my drink on your coat, I apologize.” Dov looked down at his coat. Oh. What did he know, there was a wet stain on it, front and center. He frowned a bit before shrugging his worries away. 

“It’s fine. I needed to wash it anyways.” Now, normally Dov wouldn’t have been so lax with such an accident. After all, it was his precious coat that he made himself. No one enjoyed seeing their own creations marred by imperfections! Luckily, Dov was in quite a good mood and the stranger was undeniably attractive. So it was fine. He shucked off his coat as if to prove his point, setting it down on the stool besides him. (And if he was using the opportunity to show off the muscles that were poorly concealed by his tight shirt, well, there was no harm done.) 

The stranger’s lips turned up and he drew closer. “Let me buy you a drink to make up for it.” His voice was a smooth, clear sound that cut through the noise of the club with precision and ease. 

“In that case, I’ll take a cosmopolitan.” He said, shifting to the left so that the man could settle in besides him. (They were so close! Their arms were almost touching!) He watched the man flag down the bartender and order two drinks, and he took the offered drink happily when their orders were completed. 

“Are you here with someone?” The man asked, taking a drink from his own cocktail. He set the drink down on the bar counter, his tongue sweeping languidly across his lips to catch the sugar that stuck to it. Dov tracked the movement with almost the same intensity he addressed his sewing machine with 

“I was here with a friend!” Dov started, “But I’m not sure where she is anymore, I seem to have gotten too lost in your eyes.” The laughter that peeled from the stranger was a blessing in disguise. God, it was so cute. The stranger was so hot. This was so unfair. 

“You’re lucky you’re cute enough to pull that off.” The stranger spoke the words under his breath, giving Dov the impression that he didn’t entirely intend Dov to hear. But they were standing quite close and Dov had sharp hearing, so he heard anyways. And he could do nothing to stop the blush that scattered across his face. 

“I think you’re cute too.” He said, smartly. Eloquently. Not at all embarrassing himself in front of this handsome stranger. “Are you here with anyone?” He parroted the question back at the man, curiosity taking over him.

“No.” The stranger spoke as he took another drink of his cocktail. Dov wasn’t sure what it was but the cocktail was looking really appealing at the moment. Certainly, he’d tried the exact same one before and thought it was mediocre but right now he really wanted to drink that specific one. “I came here hoping to unwind after a long day at work.” The man met Dov’s stare. “I think I made the right choice to come.” His voice was almost a purr and Dov could feel his entire heart light on fire. 

The man plowed forward with his words before Dov could even gather his bearings completely. “I saw you dancing earlier. You’re quite good at it.” He seemed to settle back into his neutrally amused state of being, fortunately for Dov’s drunk heart. 

“Oh?” There was a soft smirk playing on Dov’s lips. (There he go! Finally! He was back in his element and not making a fool out of himself!) He relished in the little heart flutters the comment gave him. Admittedly, a part of him was pleased the stranger was watching him even before they officially met. “Perhaps I could give you a first hand demonstration of my _skills_ then.” As he winked, he marveled at the way the stranger’s lips curved to match his own smirk, a spark of interest flickering in his eyes. 

Then, the stranger turned his head to look at the dance floor. “I have to be drunk enough to step foot on that dance floor.” Dov, too, turned his head. It was a rather chaotic scene, he admitted. There were bodies dancing everywhere and occasionally people did dance a bit too close for Dov’s comfort. 

Still, Dov refused to be disheartened by it. He pushed off the bar counter, spinning a quarter circle to face the man. “Well, are you?”

The man looked surprised. “What?”

“Are you drunk enough?” Dov repeated, his hand stretching out in offering. The man’s gaze flickered from the dance floor, to Dov’s outstretched hand, and finally to Dov’s face. A mixture of emotions flashed across his face before he settled on a smile. 

“I suppose I am.” His hand slid into Dov’s and he let Dov lead them into the dance floor. 

* * *

They danced. They talked. It was a blur, honestly. The stranger was damn good at dancing but Dov was willing to admit he might have been a little biased. It was hard not to be, with the man occasionally brushing up against him as they moved to the beat of the music blaring overhead. The buzz of the alcohol coursing through his veins did absolutely nothing to help. Not that Dov was complaining because everything still felt great to him. 

When they spoke, they shouted at each other in order to be heard over the booming bass. It was arguably an ineffective way of speaking but Dov found that he didn’t mind too much. Of course, when the alternative presented itself, he wasn’t sure if he wanted the volume of the deafening music to get louder or softer. 

The alternative being a lot more physical and bodily contact than he knew how to handle. 

They were discussing something relatively innocuous, really. There was a new coffee shop that opened down the street and their interior decor was rather quaint. Seeing that Dov enjoyed things like that, the stranger was attempting to tell him about another place that had a similar aesthetic. However, with the booming music, it was quite hard to convey. 

“What?” He shouted, for the fourth time. The man’s words were being lost in all the other noise clamoring for Dov’s attention. The man seemed to tire of yelling the same sentence over and over and elected to solve their problems more efficiently. 

He twisted his body, closing the small distance between them. The man was pressed flush against Dov’s chest and Dov was almost certain he could hear how fast his heart was pounding. He lifted his head, bringing his lips right to his ear as he said succinctly, “There’s a cafe with Austrian pastries on Eighth Street with a similar aesthetic. I think you might enjoy it.”

Having said his spiel, the man released Dov and backed off to his original short distance. He seemed placated, finally imparting his very important piece of information to Dov. Dov, on the other hand, was dealing with some complex bodily complications such as his heart attempting to hammer out of his chest. His face got redder the more he thought about the sensation of the man’s warm body pressed against his own and his voice in his ear. 

He cleared his throat in futile attempts to save himself from his self wrought embarrassment. “Let’s go sit down.” He suggested, projecting his voice enough to reach the man’s ears. The man, in turn, nodded and they both retreated from the chaos that made up the dance floor. 

The music wasn’t as loud at the bar, thankfully, and they were able to speak at normal volumes again. Dov collected the coat he’d left on the stool and turned to face the stranger. “Sorry if I overstepped some boundaries, it seemed like the easiest way to say something to you.” The man said thoughtfully as he ordered another two drinks from the bartender. Dov fiddled with the ends of his coat then waved his hand in the air. 

“Don’t worry, it’s fine!” Really, it was! Dov just wasn’t expecting it. He understood really. Still, the man seemed almost sympathetic and Dov was left wondering what assumptions he was making about him. His thoughts were quickly dashed when the man pushed forward another drink. “It’ll be my treat.” The stranger nodded his head towards the cocktail he ordered Dov and raised his own glass. Dov collected the cup and carefully clinked their cups together, a smile lighting his face. 

“I’m surprised you also enjoy things like that! Here I thought I was the only one who really appreciated hole-in-the-wall type places.” He downed his cocktail happily enough, savoring the taste on his tongue. Free drinks were great. Free drinks given by hot men were even better. 

“I guess you can say they grew on me. I grew up eating at a lot of hole-in-the-wall restaurants.” The man laughed. “Even I get nostalgic for them sometimes.” He had a mysterious smile on his face and Dov wanted to press for more details but couldn’t figure out how to word his inquiries. 

“Wh—“

“Dov! There you are!” Blinking owlishly, Dov turned his head to observe Waii approaching. Oh! Waii! There she was! Dov lifted his hands and wiggled his fingers in greeting. Waii looked fondly exasperated as she finally drew close. She gave the stranger Dov’s been talking to a small nod before turning to address Dov. 

“It’s getting late, we should start heading home.” Dov wanted to whine and pout but he was still standing in front of the handsome stranger so he chose not to. And, upon closer inspection, Waii looked exhausted. Dov felt bad, she still had to drive the two of them home. His heart and will softened. He had to take care of his friend first before worrying over a stranger he met in a club! He nodded then turned to say his goodbyes

The stranger, for his part, was still leaning against the counter and watching them with keen interest. He inclined his head and mimicked the little finger wave he saw Dov do earlier. “See you around. It was pleasant taking to you.” Dov mirrored the stranger’s smile, “Bye!”

He hoped he got to see the stranger again. 

As he sat in the car, he recounted his experiences of the night to Waii. Waii, in turn, laughed when it was appropriate and leapt on all the openings given to tease Dov. It was nice. 

“So what’s this mystery man’s name?”

Dov paused. A look of utter distress crossed his face. “I forgot to ask! Waii, we have to go back!”

Waii ran a red light laughing so hard.


	2. The Doctor

Dov didn’t have any particular feelings regarding doctors. He’d always seen them as distant, analytical figures he was supposed to see once every year to make sure he wasn’t dying. Which was quite ironic, given he was basically born almost dead (Chronic hypoerythrocyte disorder, they said. Bullocks. People have been calling it vampirism for centuries, why was there a need to introduce a fancy scientific term to quantify Dov’s blood drinking experiences?). Doctors were neutral figures in white coats that asked questions, checked things off on their list, and then sent you on your way. It never occurred to him that doctors were even capable of getting harmed. They just always seemed so.... untouchable. So when Dov’s primary physician finally kicked the bucket, he was left a healthy amount of surprise and no other option but to find a new doctor to refer to. 

It wasn’t a very pressing task. He had no immediate health concerns and all he wanted to do was eventually find a replacement that could perform his yearly physical exams. He cared about his well being but he didn’t obsess over it. When his cousin recommended him a new doctor, he procrastinated a bit on contacting them. It wasn’t until the year mark for his annual physical drew close did he finally remember to book an appointment with the new clinic. 

The clinic in question was called AV Health Clinic. He wasn’t sure what the AV stood for, but he didn’t entirely care either. Dov was just there for a quick check up. In and out. Easy as pie. He had other plans for the day that involved an extensively planned self-care day and he was banking on the doctor’s visit being short in order to launch his day of hedonism off. 

All of this, of course, changed the moment he actually met his new doctor. A familiar attractive face he’d saw just a week ago, really. 

Remy Trojan, Dov gathered, was around his own age. Maybe even a few years older, he wasn’t entirely sure. Remy was a PhD certified doctor with a specialization in treating people with unique body conditions (the supernatural, basically. These terminologies were going to be the end of Dov). Despite Dov’s initial impressions, Remy was not an angelic incarnation. Nor was he a demonic being, though Dov certainly was convinced for a solid fifteen minutes. It was Remy’s scent that gave him away. He was just a regular, normal human. 

A regular, normal human that was hot as all hell. 

Dov was doomed. 

Dov’s initial impressions of the clinic were quite neutral, actually. 

It was a tidy little place with a standard waiting room painted in hues of baby blue and white. The receptionist was a man with long silver hair and a name tag that was neatly labeled Birch. Birch was friendly enough and even struck up a bit of conversation while Dov was filling in his new patient forms. He carried a subtle scent of briny water and crabs, leading Dov to conclude he was likely of the siren lineage. 

What neutralized the positive points of the cute siren receptionist, however, was the news that Dov would have to wait an extra 20 to 30 minutes to see the doctor. Dov’s appointment was at 11:30am. It was 11:20, at the moment. That meant he would have to wait nearly 40 minutes total and Dov wasn’t entirely a fan of the idea. 

“The doctor is running a bit late today.” Birch said, with an apologetic face. “He’s helping with a surgery today and it’s taking a little longer than usually to finish up. If you’d like, I can help you reschedule your appointment if you don’t want to wait.” 

Dov considered this option for a moment or two before ultimately deciding that he didn’t want to go through the trouble of coming back to wait another time. He was already here anyways! And 30 minutes wouldn’t cut too much into his much needed alone time later anyways. He still had a bubble bath with his name on it waiting for him. “It’s fine, I’ll wait.” With that, he retreated to the chairs in the waiting room and pulled out his phone. 

After exactly 34 minutes had passed (yes, Dov was counting), a woman named Damaris came to get him. She was a nervous looking individual who fiddled incessantly with the clipboard in her hands. Dov took pity on her. 

“Are you new to the whole,” He gestured vaguely at his surroundings as Damaris led him down a corridor. “Clinic business?”

Damaris startled, then exhaled. “Yeah, I guess it shows, huh?” She managed a tired smile. “I’m actually just a volunteer, I started working here a week ago. My brother pulled some strings to get me in and I can’t be thankful enough. You met him earlier, Birch?”

The statement threw Dov in for a loop for a moment. But Birch is a siren, he wanted to say. Damaris didn’t carry the same saltwater scent, she just smelled like a normal human! Wisely, he kept his mouth shut. There were such things as familial circumstances. Perhaps one of them was adopted! He ruminated on that while keeping up the small conversation with Damaris. His blood pressure, weight and temperature was taken and eventually he was led into a side room labeled E. 

“Doctor will be right with you.” Damaris informed and Dov was left alone in the room. Luckily, or unluckily, not for long. 

Three minutes after, the doctor walked in. 

“I apologize for the wait, I hope it wasn’t too unpleasant.” The doctor had a smooth, velvety voice that just barely hinted at a touch of exhaustion. Dov scrambled to shove his phone into his pockets and address his new doctor. Who, most notably, had an undercut and bangs long enough to cover the majority of his left eye. It was a look that didn’t entirely strike Dov as professional but he was too distracted by the doctor’s sharp eyes and nose to take any real issue with it.... Along with the shaking sense of familiarity. He’d seen this man before.

“My name is Remy, I’ll be your doctor from today on. Dov, right?” Oh god, oh fuck. It was him. The guy from the club. Hot club stranger. Dov must have died and ascended to heaven. Or died and descended to hell. He didn’t know which idea was more comforting. 

“Yes!” He might’ve been a bit overzealous with that. Scolding himself mentally, he watched as Remy turned to rifle with some things in the cabinet. Remy gave a hum of acknowledgement and set some things onto the table besides Dov. 

“So how’s your day been, Dov?” Remy gave him his full attention now, having finally set up all the things that he needed to. Dov would’ve been lying if he said that the full force of Remy’s gaze didn’t make him a little flustered. 

“Fine.” He cleared his throat and tried not to move too much when Remy approached with the stethoscope. “It’s my off day today so I have a lot of time on my hands. I was planning on having a self care day.” This seemed to amuse Remy a bit. 

“That’s good.” Remy said, glancing him over. “One should always take care of themselves.” Dov enjoyed pretending he was checking him out rather than just doing his standard visual assessment for obvious illnesses. “Or find someone to take care of them for them.” Remy’s voice was low and rumbly and Dov nearly choked on his spit. Remy seemed unfazed and as passively amused as ever. 

“Everything seems quite normal. You’re in remarkable health and your blood pressure is within healthy ranges. Though...” Remy paused, looking deceptively thoughtful, “Your heart rate is a little higher than normal.” 

“I’m going to ask you a few questions, try to answer as honestly as possible. This information will be kept private and will only be used for medical purposes.” Dov was left wondering if this was just a cruel joke the universe was playing on him.

The rest of the appointment was a bit of a blur. He could remember Remy seating himself at the computer in the corner and asking him questions. Simple questions. How did he acquire his blood? Was he sexually active? Has he or anyone in his family had a history of seizures? They went through some physical examinations and before he knew it he was sitting in his car with a business card that listed the date of his next annual appointment. 

Dov drove home in a daze. It wasn’t until Dov was sinking into a tub filled with white bubbles did he realize he might be fucked. Maybe he needed to get a new doctor, his heart couldn’t handle this. Maybe he needed to find reasons to see his doctor more often, if anything it was an excuse to see Remy again. 

He was doomed.


	3. The Phonecall

Ok, maybe Dov had a bit of a problem. 

He was just nervous and eager, alright? There was nothing wrong with him wanting to talk to his crush but not having the nerves to! It was normal! He just couldn’t figure out a good way to approach Remy, it was fine. He could mull it over and come up with the perfect approach that would make Remy swoon. There was no rush other than the flow of blood rushing from Dov’s heart to other places in his body. 

So, he developed a habit of lingering outside the clinic. (‘Stalking’, Waii had called it. He preferred ‘reconnaissance’.)

It wasn’t a big deal, really. Dov initially just wanted to catch Remy before he went in for work, so he stopped by the clinic beforehand. The clinic opened at 6AM and Dov didn’t start work until 9AM, so it wasn’t like it was infringing on anything. And there was a good three hour gap just in case talking to Remy took longer than half an hour! 

He pulled into the parking lot and parked off to the side, near the dumpsters. It was 6AM sharp and there were just a few cars sprinkled across the parking lot. Dov settled into his seat, keeping his eyes peeled for any cars that drove in. He had a game plan. He’d time it so that he caught Remy right when Remy was walking into the clinic! It would be perfect. 

An hour passed before Dov realized his critical mistake. Remy was a doctor working at a clinic. The clinic opened at 6 in the morning. It was a medical clinic. Of course, Remy wouldn’t walk into right at 6AM! He would’ve had to arrive earlier in order to get everything set up. Just because the clinic opened at 6 didn’t mean people didn’t start working before then. He felt like an idiot for not realizing sooner. It was no wonder he hadn’t seen Remy at all in the past hour. Sighing softly, he started his car and drove off to get breakfast. 

He came back the next day at 5 o’clock. It was better to be early and wait than late and miss Remy, he reasoned. Thirty three minutes later, a black car pulled into the parking lot and Remy stepped out in all his glory. Dov jolted to attention in his seat.

Alright, alright how was he going to do this? What should he say? What was a good approach? He didn’t want to seem like a creep so he had to be strategic about it. He took a step forward, then two steps back. This had to be perfect. He—

He watched, with wide eyes and a despairing expression, Remy slip into the clinic. 

Ah, fuck. 

It was fine, he’d try again next time. 

And thats where he found himself, three weeks later, parked in the parking lot of the clinic at 5:12 in the morning. He checked his watch and settled into his chair. 

It was Wednesday today. Wednesday meant Remy would likely show up around 5:42 with a box of donuts in his hands. (Remy liked donuts, he bolded and capped the fact in his phone notes.) Dov liked Wednesdays. On Tuesdays and Thursday Remy tended to show up accompanied with Birch. He figured it was likely because Birch was carpooling with Remy. He only ever showed up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, after all. Admittedly, Dov had a bit of heart attack when he first saw Birch step out of Remy’s car. But the panic subsided the third time he saw it happen and he figured out the pattern quick enough. Still, he enjoyed getting to watch Remy when he was alone more. It meant he could potentially approach Remy unhindered. There was no need to worry about embarrassing himself in front of anyone other than the love of his life! And today would be the day for sure! He’d talk to Remy!

Fifteen minutes passed and Dov was getting a bit antsy. He ran his hand through his hair and checked over his clothes. 

Another twenty minutes. Dov couldn’t stand it. Where was Remy? He stepped out of his car, stretching behind his usual spot by the dumpster. 

Finally, a familiar black car pulled into the parking lot. Dov ducked behind the dumpster wall and watched with keen eyes as the car parked in its usual spot by the clinic entrance. And there was Remy! With his box of donuts again. He seemed to be talking to someone though, looking annoyed. Dov’s brows furrowed but any confusion that assailed him was quickly dispelled the moment Birch stepped out of the passenger seat. 

Dov frowned. 

Well. Perhaps Birch was just working an extra day today. Or his car broke down. Or the bus wasn’t running. Dov didn’t actually know anything about Birch’s work schedule and he didn’t really care to know. 

It was fine though. Today would be the day Dov talked to Remy and Birch being there wasn’t going to stop him. Today was a step forward. He didn’t even let the fact that Remy and Birch already disappeared behind the doors discourage him! 

Carefully, casually, not at all weirdly, he approached the door. Then stopped at the door. And then got cold feet and retreated back to his car.

The clinic doors opened again. Birch, with an armful of trash, stepped out and approached the dumpster. Dov hid in the shadows, listening to the sounds of a cardboard box hitting the bottom of a metal bin. He held his breath. 

“You know you can come in, right?” He froze. Slowly, he peeked out from the wall he was hiding behind. Birch met him with a bemused smile. “You can come in, you don’t have to linger around the dumpsters.” He repeated, jerking his head towards the clinic doors. 

“No I—“ He, what? What could Dov possibly say to justify himself? He was just lingering around the dumpsters of a health clinic for fun? He was stalking Birch’s boss because he didn’t have the nerves to approach him? He lowered his head and sheepishly stepped out of his hiding spot. 

The short walk to the clinic front doors felt longer than it should have. It was only a few hundred feet, why did it feel like a few thousand? 

“D-does—“ Dov cleared his throat, a light pink dusting his cheeks. “Does Remy know?” The awkward cough that ripped from Birch’s throat told him everything he needed to know. Dov’s face lit on fire and he contemplated if he knew anyone who could make the ground just swallow him whole. 

“If it makes you feel better, he would’ve kicked you out by now if he had an issue with it.” Birch said sympathetically, pushing the clinic doors open. It did make Dov feel better, actually. Just a little. 

He hovered nervously as Birch poked his head into a hallway and called out, “Remy, we have a walk-in guest. Can you take him now?” Oh. So that’s how they were going about things. Well, alright. Dov really felt like he wasn’t having enough time to prepare but he wasn’t in any position to complain so he let Birch lead him deeper into the heart of the clinic. 

Much to Dov’s surprise, they didn’t walk into another room. Instead, they walked past the many rooms until the hallway opened up to a wide room filled with countless files. There were three desks situated in different corners of the room, each in a differing states of disarray. 

Remy sat at the desk closest to the hallway opening. His nose was buried in a file while he fed himself a donut with one of his hands. “I’ll be right there, Birch.” He said dismissively, plucking a pen that Dov didn’t even notice was perched on his ear. Remy scribbled something onto the file in his hands then finally looked up. 

An expression of soft surprise flickered across Remy’s face and Dov could feel all of the wind in his lungs evaporate. “Dov.” He said softly, his face smoothing into a neutrally pleased one. The folder in his hands snapped shut and Remy stood up as he waved Birch off. Birch, in turn, gave Dov an encouraging pat on the back before he retreated to the front desk. 

“So,” Remy began with a slow drawl, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “A walk-in visitor.” He stepped closer, making a deliberate show of dragging his gaze up and down Dov’s figure. Dov swallowed dryly and tried his best to think past the hammering of his heart in his chest. 

It’s been three weeks since he’d gotten to see Remy up close, close enough to hear his voice, and Dov wasn’t quite prepared for it. On the bright side, Remy was still as attractive as ever. On the dark side, Remy was almost too attractive. Oh god, oh fuck. Was he really not of demonic lineage? He could easily pass as an incubus, Dov was sure. “Yeah.” He managed, offering what he hoped was a charming smile. 

“What seems to be troubling you, Dov?” Remy was going along with the impromptu game of charades and Dov didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. He knew Remy knew there was nothing wrong with Dov. He knew it. Why did he have to tease him like this? (The fact that Dov was a little into the flirty teasing was wholly irrelevant.) 

“I’m, uh,” His eyes darted around the room, searching for a plausible explanation, “I’m..... very..... sweaty...?” He regretted his words the moment they left his mouth. It took every ounce of his self control not to his head into the wall. He was sweaty? Really?? Was he serious? He couldn’t think of anything better to say? He deserved to be swallowed by the ground at this point, suffocating to death in his own sins and embarrassments. 

Remy, for his part, let his lips twitch up into an amused smile and the sight was almost cute enough to make Dov forgive his own transgressions. Almost. “Oh dear, what a problem. When did this sweating first occur?”

“Three weeks ago.” Came the confident answer. Dov was going through a complex process of emotions but in the end it could’ve been summed up to: he dug his grave and now he was going to lie in it. 

Remy shifted on his feet as he spun the pen he was holding through his fingers. “Does it prevent you from sleeping at night?” 

“Occasionally.” Dov admitted, watching the pen flicker across Remy’s long fingers. He wondered, in the back of his mind, if his hands would be warm to the touch or not and he took an aside to imagine how it would feel to hold his hands in his own.

“When does your sweating occur?” 

“At certain parts of the day, usually when I’m around a certain person.” A warm comfortable feeling was blooming in Dov’s chest. He didn’t know what to make of their weird game they were playing but he was enjoying the somewhat banter with Remy. 

“I think I know just the thing for you, then.” Remy turned back to his desk and withdrew a pad from one of the drawers. He wrote something on it before delicately peeling it off the pad and folding it. “Here.” There was a smile on Remy’s face as he handed the paper to Dov. 

Dov opened the paper and— oh. Right when he thought he had his blushing under control, it was back full force. He lifted his eyes, searching Remy’s gaze for anything telling. Remy gave him a wink in response and Dov found it wasn’t helping anything. 

“I have another appointment to get to but I hope I’ll be seeing you soon, Dov.” Remy brushed against his shoulder as he swept by and Dov swore he could feel all of his breath leave his chest. 

And then he was alone. With a paper in his hands. A paper that neatly printed a 10 number phone number along with a little note that said “Come in to visit next time.” 

Things didn’t go entirely as planned, Dov reasoned, but he wasn’t complaining at all. 

  
  


Dov called Remy thirty minutes after the clinic closed. It took Remy thirty minutes to finish up, he reasoned. So he would be free and in a better mood to chat. Besides, Dov was also using the thirty minute to calm his own nerves. Not that he didn’t have the entire day to already do so but the workplace wasn’t the best to fantasize about budding romance. Especially with his nosy coworkers who seemed to have a sixth sense for whenever Dov was crushing on someone and abused that sense to relentlessly tease him. So he waited until he was safe in the privacy of his own home to mull over his thoughts about Remy. 

6:30pm on the dot, the phone started dialing. He waited with bated breath for the call to connect through. 

“ _ Hello? _ ” 

Dov sat up straight despite knowing no one could see him at the moment. “Hello! It’s Dov. Dov Tyler.” He shifted in his seat, debating momentarily if he wanted to put Remy on speaker to free his hands or not. 

“ _ Ah, Dov. I thought you’d never call _ .” Dov decided he didn’t want to put Remy on speaker. Holding the phone to his ear made the conversation seem a bit more... intimate. 

“Well you thought wrong.” He made his voice light and playful and was rewarded with a soft breath of laughter that transmitted across the phone. God, he felt like a child giddy with excitement again. 

_ “I’ve never been more glad to be wrong, then. _ ” Remy seemed to be fiddling with something over the line. The sound of a door opening and closing drifted through the phone before he was assailed with the white noise of a busy street. “ _ How’s your heart treating you, Dov? _ ”

“It’s,” He spoke softly, stuttering a bit, “It’s still... fast..”

“But maybe you can come over to check it for me?” He lowered his pitch just a smidge, using the same flirty overtones he often used to swindle free blood bags from the Blood Bank cashier. If he was facing Remy in person, he would’ve winked. It was unfortunate (or maybe fortunate) that he couldn’t convey such through the telephone, however. 

Dov heard Remy unlock his car and slide into what he assumed was the driver’s seat. There was blissful silence from the other end for a moment. Then, without wasting another moment, Remy matched his tone. “ _ Are you sure you can afford to pay me back for my  _ services _? I’ll be working overtime, after all _ .” His voice was low and rumbly and it was just enough to make Dov’s knees feel weak. He was having a bit of trouble determining if the heat in his face was from his overheating phone pressed to his ear or something (someone) else. 

“You’ve- ah,” He licked his dry lips and tried again, “You’ve just finished work?” He knew the answer already, of course, but at this point he would say anything if it meant Remy would keep talking with that smooth flirty voice of his. 

“Y _ eah, we take some time to wrap things up after the clinic closes officially. Luckily we didn’t have to stay too long. Everyone was quite timely. _ ” Dov nodded along. “ _ What about you? _ ” 

He blinked in surprise. “What about me?”

“ _ How was work? _ ” Remy sounded patiently amused and at the very least Dov supposed he could be grateful Remy wasn’t annoyed instead. “ _ I don’t think you’ve ever shared with me the details of your occupation. _ ” 

“Oh! Well work was fine today!” Aside from all the distracted mistakes he made while daydreaming about Remy. “I work as a fashion designer so it’s pretty fun!”

_ “Oh? How interesting. What type of clothing do you design? _ ”

“It’s mostly clothing for people who can shapeshift.” He explained, more than happy to delve into the topic of his passions. Or work related passions, at least. 

“It’s a demanding economy! There just aren’t enough products out there that accommodate for the way shapeshifters can change their bodies. At those that do often look boorish, so I saw the opportunity and took it! I make fashionable clothing items that stay visually pleasing no matter the shape its wearer takes.” He coughed a bit and corrected himself. “Well, it’s still a work in progress. We’re experimenting with the technology that we can use.” 

“ _ That’s quite impressive, you’re doing admirable work. _ ” Dov’s cheeks warmed at the praise. 

_ “A fashion designer for shapeshifters though, hm. _ ” Remy’s voice was contemplative and he fell silent for a moment before offering his thoughts. “ _ I guess we both help people in different ways, don’t we? _ ” 

Ba-dump. 

There went his heart skipping a beat. “Yeah, I guess we do.” He agreed, a wide smile breaking over his face.

Dov was standing at the edge of a ledge with a gaping chasm of Remy down below. He could feel the ground beneath him slowly giving way. Slowly, slowly inching him into his imminent fall. 

And he had absolutely no issues with it.


End file.
